Gas Question, Doesn't Make Much Sense To Me

[ranger7]

I am getting around 24.5 around City MPG and tank average last fill up was 25.4, pretty good.

I read in the owners manual that the tank is a 17 gallon tank. What doesn't make any sense to me is this: when my gas light comes on and the distance guage is reading about 40 miles to empty I fill up. The tank is full at around 14 gallons. Where did the other gallons go?

[Tango]

I am getting around 24.5 around City MPG and tank average last fill up was 25.4, pretty good.

I read in the owners manual that the tank is a 17 gallon tank. What doesn't make any sense to me is this: when my gas light comes on and the distance guage is reading about 40 miles to empty I fill up. The tank is full at around 14 gallons. Where did the other gallons go?

Where they were all the time...in the tank. There's quite a margin between the light coming on, the readout and draining the tank dry. If you want to prove a point, stick a gallon in a gas can, put it in the trunk and run it until the engine stops. Put the gas in the tank from the can and go to the gas station...it'll take over 16 gallons. :whistles:

[Scott M]

I am getting around 24.5 around City MPG and tank average last fill up was 25.4, pretty good.

I read in the owners manual that the tank is a 17 gallon tank. What doesn't make any sense to me is this: when my gas light comes on and the distance guage is reading about 40 miles to empty I fill up. The tank is full at around 14 gallons. Where did the other gallons go?

Reserve.

Many fuel tanks contain the fuel pump and that pump needs to remain submerged for both lubrication and cooling.

Running the tank to dry would eventually cause damage to the pump.

When the car reads empty, it's time to fill up, but there is about 4-5 gallons left in the tank when it reads empty.

[Rx330driver]

4 or 5 gallons in the tank is a bit much.

this is the rundown.

the navigation miles till empty is based on previous MPG readings. It is not accurate at all. THen theres there reserve tank. WHen the light comes on, you have about 2 gallons left inside. But that doesnt include the pipe from the gas tank to the engine.

[tex2670]

4 or 5 gallons in the tank is a bit much.

this is the rundown.

the navigation miles till empty is based on previous MPG readings. It is not accurate at all. THen theres there reserve tank. WHen the light comes on, you have about 2 gallons left inside. But that doesnt include the pipe from the gas tank to the engine.

I also find that the dash reading of MPG isn't totally acurate. When I fill up, and divide my Trip OD miles by the number of gallons I fill, it's usually 1-1.5 MPG lower than what the car says, to the miles to empty reading may also be thrown off if the MPG readings are off.

[Manolo1]

If cars would run out of gas when the needle is in empty I would have been stranded hundreds of times...

The miles to empty indicator is roughly timed to go to zero (give or take 10 or 15 miles) at the same time the reserve light turns on. Once that happens you have -usually- three gallons in the tank. At the very minimum 2.5. I know, I have waited until the light turns on before filling up while driving in the city and waiting to arrive to the gas station with the best prices in 10 mile radius.

BTW: Have you checked gasbuddy.com? good info on best prices in town.

Last weekend I was driving my wife's Camry with nav and the light (and the miles to empty indicator) on the highway and drove 40 miles to fill up total gallons in were 14.5 and the capacity of the tank per the manual is 17.2 so 2.7 gallons left after driving 40 miles with the light on.

Of course, the Camry is a hybrid and was making 35 mpg...

[Lexusbaby]

Just curious, which octane level is recommended for IS 87,89 or 91? Did the manual mentioned anything about this?

(Sorry, i know i should read before asked but hoping for a quick answer :) )

[JamesDCarrell]

Just curious, which octane level is recommended for IS 87,89 or 91? Did the manual mentioned anything about this?

(Sorry, i know i should read before asked but hoping for a quick answer :) )

Yeah, somewhere's in there you're instructed to use High Octane. I personally use the 87 on long drives, and switch to 91 when I want to hotrod around.